Living
by El loopy
Summary: 'Being' by Kevin Brooks Sequel to the book. Robert's daughter Maria was born to live her life running away. Alone, she has to figure out whether this is really living and at the same time stay a few steps ahead of the man chasing her. Spoilers. Twoshot
1. cafe

**Disclaimer: 'Being' is by Kevin Brooks and therefore Eddi, Robert/John and Ryan are his. However Seth and Maria are mine. **

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Living

The Café

Maria glanced out of the dirt-smeared window and flinched away again almost immediately. A Suit was skulking across the street. She called them Suits though they'd long since stopped wearing them – it made them too conspicuous – but after ten years of being on the run she could notice them now. This one was hovering by a grocery store opposite, calmly turning over the apples in the outside cartons, examining them.

She didn't know how she knew he was one of them – she just did. It was like a sixth sense – and she knew she wasn't just being paranoid. Paranoid would be seeing them everywhere – but she'd been safe here for the last three days…still that was too short a time – usually she was safe for two weeks – how had they caught up to her so fast?

Regardless of how Maria knew she had to get out now. With a sigh she tucked her newly dyed blonde hair under a brown wig and rammed a ratted cap on top. She scooped up her rucksack and shoved her meagre possessions haphazardly inside, before swinging it onto her back.

He'd be arriving shortly and she didn't want to be here when he did.

Maria walked into the bathroom and shut the door, locking it behind her. It was a small, grubby affair but suited her purposes just fine…because it had a decent sized window. Not even frosted glass – but it opened for enough to let a skinny eighteen-year-old girl through. With a hiss she ripped back the shower curtain and pulled a face at a large spider sitting there. She didn't have time for this.

Ignoring the beast she twisted the shower on and watched the pellet like drops hammer to the floor. The Spider shied away from the spray – being just out of the way to avoid getting caught up. This made her smile for some reason.

Maria pulled the curtain back across and dropped the lid of the loo with a clunk, clambering onto its slippery surface. With some effort she heaved up the window catch, knowing it was doable, as she'd double-checked it the moment she'd decided to stay. The fire exit would've been no good for escape purposes; they'd have it covered, so the window it was.

With great effort Maria slammed her shoulder into it and it juddered open, leaving a small gap.

Maria grabbed the wall and swung her legs through, wiggling her body out after. She found herself perched precariously on a thin ledge. Her legs dangled into the huge drop and she felt a sense of vertigo well up. _'Stop it!'_ she chided and screwed her eyes tight shut, praying as she did that no one saw her and raised the alarm. Slowly she began to edge her way along the shelf. It didn't matter how many times she did this it always gave her a sickened feeling that she was about to die – but knowing that she _would_ die if she stayed put - if they caught her – urged her on.

A drainpipe came into range and with a sigh of relief Maria grabbed hold of it. This part hurt – it always did – but she could handle pain. Pain was easy. You could ignore pain.

With practised movements she swung onto it and began it climb down, wincing as every so after a metal ring tore into her flesh. It was inconsequential; she was a fast healer like her father. The cuts would be gone by tonight.

Her father…a scowl crossed her face. He was the one who'd started all this. She remembered…she'd lived with her mother, single, just the two of them, in a small house out in the countryside in France. Thinking about it now her mum's parents must've owned it – there was no way her mother could've afforded it on her waitress salary. When she went to work she remembered a lady looked after her. Her Grandma? It was hazy. She hadn't really paid much attention to people. They found her cold and unresponsive. That's why she'd never had any friends to speak of. It had always confused her mother but made perfect sense to Maria now.

So there'd been her, her mother, sometimes the lady…and occasionally HIM. Her mother had said he was her father. John, she'd called him. 'Why was he never around?' She'd asked once. 'He travels a lot', had come the reply, 'it was his job'. Job! Bah…his life maybe. He'd always scared her to be honest. His eyes were always so sad and cold, and he never played with her…he'd just watched her. Watched her – as if he were fascinated by what she was. As if he couldn't believe she existed. She understood why now. By all natural law she shouldn't be alive.

Anyway, sometimes he was there and sometimes he wasn't. She couldn't remember if he'd ever stayed…there was no memory of him being around for any length of time. Once she'd challenged him on why – why he'd never hung around. She must've been about been about fourteen at the time. She'd had a lot of questions she wanted answering. Most he fobbed off – told her he'd explain when she was older – but this one he didn't. A pain had crossed his face and he'd suddenly looked old, really old. She could still remember the wash of sorrow…in fact she strongly remembered the feeling of regret that she'd asked. The words…she still remembered his words…because they were the basis on which she'd founded rule number one of her life.

"If I get close to people they get hurt."

The screams, crashes, gunshots reverberated around her head.

Maria shook them away desperately. Not now. Not now. She had to concentrate.

The images continued to flash through her head in a whirlwind of sickening colour as she dropped to the floor of the alley and forced herself to focus on the mouth where daylight spilled into the shadows and illuminated the rusted bins and decomposing, stacked cardboard…but she couldn't go out that way because that's where Suit One was waiting for her. Maria darted across the narrow corridor, using the rubbish as cover, keeping low. A meshed door was propped open opposite and she slipped inside.

She was in a kitchen of some sort. Everyone was too busy rushing around to notice her but she couldn't count on that for long. Swiftly Maria snatched up an apron that was hanging on a hook next to her, whipped the hat off her head and walked straight through the middle of the kitchen. Confidence. That was what let you get away with anything. If you look like you're supposed to be there no one will ask otherwise.

Calmly she pushed the swinging doors open and removed the apron in a fluid movement, tossing it behind one of the plant pots with an air of ease.

"I'll have a coffee to go please," she mumbled – slumping up to the counter. The person serving poured her one into one of those polystyrene cups and Maria pushed the change sullenly across the counter and picking up her drink she headed for the door.

A few steps away from it she veered to the right and into the toilets. Once inside the filthy room a transformation took place. The coffee disappeared down the sink and the cup was tossed into the bin. With a sharp tug Maria removed her wig, letting her blonde hair fall about her in waves. She was glad she'd gone to the hairdressers. Extensions were a wonderful thing. Next she locked herself in a cubicle and quickly shed her sloppy trackies and baggy top, replacing them with tight jeans and a strapy tee shirt. Everything she'd been wearing was quickly shoved back into the rucksack, pulling from it as she did so a large NEXT bag and a makeup holdall. The rucksack was quickly placed into the NEXT bag and Maria put the finishing touches to her transformation. Some eyeshadow, lippy, blusher. She brushed gently through her hair – getting out the tangles and sprayed on some light perfume. She snapped a second pair of earrings on – magnetic but no one would be able to tell the difference – and slipped a mobile into her pocket. Et Voila! Sulky sixteen-year-old Maria had just become trendy university student Jennifer. Looking at herself in the mirror she was suddenly grateful for the ability to look older or younger than she really was…and for the ten or so different identities she possessed, courtesy of her father. He'd mentioned once that a friend had taught him how to create fake Ids. Eddi. Apparently she'd had a whole business going at one point. When questioned as to where she was now he'd replied, "She's dead," in the coldest bluntest voice she'd heard yet.

Maria clicked her way out the loos in new heels and slid herself easily into one of the booths, gesturing to a waitress.

"A coffee please. Latte," her voice she changed in tone and emphasis. The waitress nodded and walked away.

Maria glanced across the crowded café and breathed a sigh of relief. No Suits…yet anyway. All she wanted to do was collapse across the table. She was so sick of the running and the hiding and the fear but doing that would blow her cover – something she could ill-afford. Besides, the adrenalin hadn't worn off yet so she had the energy to keep up the charade.

The bang of a cup on the table made her jump.

"Thanks," she drawled and picked the drink up.

The Suits shouldn't find her now. They were looking for a frightened teen with scraggily mop of brown hair, not a confident, cool blonde young woman. That was on condition that Seth wasn't with them. A small shiver went up her back. The others she could fool but Seth…he was a whole different thing all together. Seth unnerved her, which was always dangerous. There was always the chance that she'd accidentally reveal herself to him. A movement, a flick of the hand, a turn of the head and he could tell. She didn't know how but he could. He'd done it before.

She didn't have much time to worry about him turning up. As she was taking her first sip of coffee two Suits burst in from the kitchen area. She'd had years to practise the look. A mixture of shock and displeasure, hand paused in mid air, holding the cup suspended. Around the café everyone was in a similar position.

Someone in charge bustled over and started to exclaim angrily at the duo. Maria saw one of the Suits open his mouth and say something quietly, the words too soft for her to hear. The furious words abruptly stopped. She was interested in what the Suit had said. Not the truth, obviously, but the fabrication that clearly had the man in charge convinced.

Many people had gone back to their meals now that the drama had ended. It wasn't like the Suits were conspicuous. One was dressed like a waiter, the other a civilian. Nothing interesting. _'_A customer complaining about service maybe_'_ everyone thought – except her. She knew. Was that the lie they'd fed the authority figure? Or something different? Regardless, everyone had gone back to normal – as if nothing had happened. The only difference was the new waiter lurking outside the kitchen doors and the new civilian who had brought a coffee and was drinking it slowly by the entrance. Both escape routes were blocked. Maria felt a sense of claustrophobia threaten but she crushed it. They didn't _know_ she was here. They couldn't. They were just making sure…but they'd looked – they hadn't seen who they'd thought she was so why didn't they leave? Maria's stomach lurched and her hand faltered as she brought the drink up to her lips. They suspected that she might have changed? No. Not they. Seth. He'd assumed she'd hide somewhere nearby. That's what the Suits were waiting for. He'd want to check the café out in person.

The blood fled from her face and she went weak. '_No! This is not the time to be faint.'_ She mentally shook herself. Damn human weakness. She had to be an emotionless machine or he'd spot her for sure. The Civilian was talking in a mobile, calling Seth in.

Maria took two deep breaths then slid out her own mobile, switched it on and started to text. To who? No one. There were no numbers on this phone. It was unregistered and untraceable, but texting meant she could lean forward on the table and place her head in one hand, effectively allowing a curtain of blonde hair to half hide her face.

Truth be told she didn't think it'd fool Seth but it was worth a shot.

The shop door opened and quietly clicked shut.

The noise of the café continued like the bubbling of river. Rushing, flowing, always changing. No sentence ever being said exactly the same way by the same person. Her thumb flicked over the buttons. Her heart was racing. Who had just entered? She wanted to increase her air of nonchalance by reaching for her drink but she was scared her hand would shake.

Who had just entered?

Was it Seth?

Curiosity and fear were eating away at her. One look wouldn't hurt. A glance. Everyone looked around the café occasionally. That wasn't unusual so Maria glanced up through her curtain of hair…and she saw him. Seth. He was standing in the middle of the café, leaning calmly against one of the partitions in dark trousers and a dark navy shirt…and he was looking directly at her – grey eyes locked onto her own blue. His gaze was piercing. _Look away! Look away!_ Her mind screamed at her but she couldn't tear her eyes from his. '_How had he known?'_ she thought dimly, staring into his searing grey eyes.

Seth started to move towards her, pushing himself away from the counter. Each step smooth…calculated. A Panther closing in on its cornered prey, knowing it had nowhere to run.

Maria ripped her eyes away and looked down at her phone. Her hand was shaking. The game was up. She switched the useless piece of technology off and threw it in her bag. Call the police? Don't be stupid. These guys owned the Police. She could still try and bluff her way through…but she wasn't going to demean herself. Seth wouldn't be fooled. She could feel him standing next to her, unnerving her. She knew she should look up and ask him what the hell he was doing but she couldn't summon the nerve. If it had been anyone else…but Seth…he did something to her. She found it difficult to act around him. It was like he managed to trigger the human part of her and strip her of all her defences.

"May I sit here?" he asked finally, voice quiet and smooth.

She shrugged, "Sure." If she'd said yes she knew her voice would've cracked.

He slid into the seat opposite and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. Maria looked directly at him and a slow smile spread across his face.

"Hello there Maria."

She smiled back mockingly sweet, "Hello there Seth."

"No pretending?" He raised his eyebrows. "No 'who are you'? No 'who's Maria'?"

"You're surprised? What would be the point in all that? It didn't save me last time."

"No," he replied, picking up a sugar packet and crackling it in his hand. "I believe it was a shopping bag."

Maria smirked at the memory. A bag full of tinned food swung at his head. Out cold. Should've seen it coming if he was going to ambush her in a supermarket car park.

Seth clenched his fist on the sugar and narrowed his eyes at her.

"Smart girl hiding in a café," he hissed quietly.

Maria folded her arms and leaned back, crossing one leg over the other.

"So…how have you been Maria? What have you been up to?" He leaned back too and mimicked her posture. For all the world it looked like two old friends catching up over coffee – but if anyone had listened carefully they would've noticed the icy undercurrents in the voices and the tension flashing through the air between them.

"This and that," she replied. "Trying to get on with my life – of course people keep preventing that." The bitterness was ill concealed.

Suddenly the smile disappeared from his face and he leaned closer to her. "You know you're not even supposed to have a life."

She glanced at him. It was true. She knew it.

"We want to find out why…" he continued.

"By cutting me up," she snapped back.

Seth's eyes flicked over her in a way that made her shiver, not with fear…with something else. That was the reason he unnerved her. He made her feel things – even though he was her enemy…even though she wasn't human.

"That would be a shame," he agreed, meeting her eyes again.

Silence fell over the table and they just watched each other.

"All right," Seth said as she drank the last dregs of her coffee, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You can come with us quietly now or…" he left the threat hanging but there was a strange look in his eye and suddenly Maria got it. She understood why everything had been so pleasant and cordial and the knowledge made her grin uncontrollably.

"Or what?" she answered. "I'm in a café full of people. What would you do?"

They couldn't touch her. Not in front of all these witnesses…well…they could in theory if they didn't mind drawing attention to themselves but they did mind. Everything had to be done in utmost secrecy and kidnapping a girl in front of a crowded café was hardly discreet.

Seth's eyes hardened to granite.

"Is that the way you're going to play it?" his voice was icy.

Maria nodded quietly and without warning Seth smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile but full of untold menace.

"Very well. I'll play the game. We'll see who wins."

With that Seth pushed himself up from the table and strode out the café. The Suits followed.

Maria visibly sagged back against the seat. Now she had to think what to do next.


	2. Warehouse

**This story was another of my two-part one-shots so there is no other chapter after this one. Again this is because I started to do a one shot and got a little carried away. There is a sequel to this in development though.**

**Thank you so much dreambox3319**

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Chapter 2: The Warehouse

Maria ran down the street, blood pounding through her veins. The sky was dark, navy blue with the yellow circle of the moon sitting amidst his chorus of stars. The street was black, shimmering like an ebony river under the sparse pools of dirty streetlight. The walls rose up like black centurions, funnelling her through to the end of the corridor. Her footsteps echoed loudly on the concrete, her breathing harsh and laboured. She'd been running for years but never had she had to do such a long stretch of sprinting before. She knew why as well. The Fox had finally been flushed from its den – now was the finale of the hunt – chasing it until it dropped from exhaustion.

The hissing crash of waves filled her ears as oily water came into view up ahead. The docks. Out of the corridor Maria bolted to her right and through some partially open doors. Towers of boxes loomed over her, stacked haphazardly in untidy rows. A warehouse. This would be where it ended, which was ironic because this was where it'd begun for her. In a warehouse. Three years ago. That was when she'd found out what she was. That was when she'd first seen Seth.

The doors creaked further open then slammed shut again with an ominous clang. Maria dived behind a pile of boxes and crouched there ready. Some light filtered through the high unreachable windows. The world was suddenly so far away. Shut off. It was just her and him in this box. The final showdown.

"So you've sought refuge. The respite will only be brief." His voice filled the cavernous room.

Funny she should think herself only just cut off from the world because really she'd never been a part of it. Not just separated by the fact that she'd never been able to have a normal life but also separated by the fact that she wasn't even human. That part of her, the human part, should've been a trembling mass by now, sobbing with fear. It wasn't. It was a cold weight.

"Not talking to me? Do you hope to try and make me think you're not here?"

The memories came tumbling through her head and this time she didn't try to stop them. That had been exactly what he'd said last time when he thought he'd won. She remembered peaking over the edge of the crate at fifteen years old, already aged beyond her years. She'd been running for seven years when she'd first set eyes on Seth – Ryan's replacement – and she had never known why until a few moments before she saw him, because her father had just told her.

It had been daylight then, around midday, and she'd poked out her nose with curiosity. Robert (or John depending on which he preferred at the time) had just muttered something about Ryan being replaced. He told her to look at the replacement. Study him. Make sure she'd know him the next time she saw him – because he'd be devious, smart, a worthy opponent, a possible winner if she didn't watch her back. Therefore she'd looked on twenty-one year old Seth's face, with his handsome profile framed by blonde hair and set inside of which were two burning grey eyes. She'd felt the spike of fear – and the first seeds of what she now felt towards him had also been planted then.

"No," she replied finally – moving away as she did so. "I just have nothing much to say." All there was for a few moments was the echoing clack of their shoes as they dodged and stalked among the storage.

"Where are your henchmen?" she eventually asked bitterly.

"Outside the doors. Blocking your escape."

"Why aren't they helping you?" she retorted.

"Maria," he managed to say it in some sort of smooth, yet faintly patronising tone, "this is between the two of us. I want the pleasure for myself." There was a moment's silence then, "Your dad's not going to save you this time."

Maria clenched her fists. "I know."

Last time he'd got them out of the warehouse, but of course he wouldn't have gone in if he hadn't had a way out. He'd been so much more experienced than her at running, hiding, escaping that she reckoned he could get out of any situation. Outside was where they'd parted ways. She'd told him that she wanted to go on alone and to her surprise he'd allowed her to, telling her that he'd draw Seth off…and then he'd said something else. Something that was totally unlike him.

"_You're a part of me. I know you can handle this on your own. Just remember that it doesn't matter whether you should or should not exist, what matters is that you do. So LIVE."_

There was another time when he'd saved her but those memories she refused to let out. The screams echoed through her head but she pushed them aside. '_Think of something else. Think of something else.'_

"How's Robert?" Seth enquired.

"You're the one more likely to know that than me," she snapped back. She didn't keep in touch with him – it was too dangerous, though they did meet up twice a year, her birthday and Christmas, for a couple of hours, each time deciding on where they'd meet next.

"Well, let me think…I could tell you what he's been doing?" Seth said to the air.

"What?" Maria replied sharply, listening to the harsh reverberations.

"He's been taking risks. Hunting down any scientist who might know something about him. Very dangerous."

Maria's stomach lurched. She knew Robert was desperate to know what he was. He'd made it his goal in life to find out, except he'd stopped while he had her to take care of. Clearly he was back on track now. She remembered him telling her how he hadn't always wanted to know. He'd been able to settle down once with a woman called Eddi and he hadn't cared what he was…but then Ryan had found them…and killed her. Life always needs a purpose. His had been to live with Eddi but when that had gone he'd returned to the only other thing he had. What he was. That was one of the only times he'd spoken about Eddi. Maria, for herself, didn't know whether she wanted to find out or not. She went through stages. She wasn't prepared to look for it but…if anyone could tell her…

"Has he found out anything?" she couldn't help the question spilling out.

A low chuckle filled the warehouse.

"So you do want to know then?"

Maria gave a low, warning growl.

"And there I was thinking that you didn't care," Seth continued unheeded. "But you're just as interested as the rest of us…"

The tower of crates next to him trembled and the top one crashed to the floor next to him, splintering. A piece of wood caught his arm as it flew past and drew blood.

"Don't make me angry Seth." Her voice was only lightly panting from the effort of knocking the crate off. She was strong.

"I was aiming to miss that time."

Seth's eyes hardened.

"The game seems to have taken a more serious twist." He drew a silver barrel from his inside pocket. "You better watch yourself Maria, I have a gun."

There was silence.

"Why don't you surrender now? You might get hurt."

"I think you're bluffing," came the hoarse reply. Maria had frozen behind a long row of boxes. She hated guns.

"Really," came the hushed reply then a gunshot rang out, shattering the air.

Maria screamed. She couldn't help it. The images came tumbling out of the broken box in her mind. She fell to the floor, clutching her head. Fighting desperately not to relive it but the too long suppressed the memories refused to be held back. Maria was forced to watch helpless as the scene replayed itself.

-----------

_Eight years old. Far too young to witness what she had. Every detail still crisp and clear. Fun moments she forgot but terrible things she remembered with startling clarity. Robert was over…no…he was John then. He was always John with her mother. She was sitting on the floor with a doll. Robert had brought it for her? That seemed like a strange thing for him to do for her logical mind that knew him now…but she remembered it as a gift. It had the feeling of a present about it. A newness. An exciting surprise. The doll was…plastic…no…china. Why had he gotten her china? That's why it felt like it was from Robert. Who gives an eight year old something breakable as a toy? Anyway it was china. Blonde curls. Blue eyes. Silky white dress. Beautiful. Everything was relaxed, pleasant; the room lit with a warm glow. Lights? Setting sun? She didn't know. _

_Then it changed._

_There was a noise outside and Robert immediately tensed. Banging on the door. Then a crash as it exploded inward and men poured in. Big. Navy. Suits. Guns._

"_The girl. Get the girl."_

_Maria had frozen where she sat. Doll forgotten. It was knocked from her hand and smashed on the floor as a Suit moved to grab her. She screamed. Her mother was on him. Pulling at him. A gunshot, then she was lying on the floor next to her. Eyes glazed. Blood pooling beneath her. The screams had dried up. Strong hands gripped her shoulders but they were Robert's. He must've gotten hold of her while she was still dazed. She looked up at his face. It was set in stone, eyes trained on the door. She looked too. A man was standing in the shattered doorway. His face was grotesque, half caved in, badly broken._

"_Hello again Robert."_

_Robert's hands tightened but he said nothing._

"_Who's this?" The gargoyle turned his icy gaze on her and smiled. Maria whimpered._

"_Leave her alone Ryan," Robert hissed._

_Ryan turned his gaze back to her father. "I did wonder when I heard…whether…but it's impossible. Nature wouldn't allow it."_

_Robert tightened his grip._

_Ryan leered. "So, is she yours?"_

_There was a pause then, "Would I really say yes if she was?"_

_Ryan lifted his lip contemptuously. "No. I don't suppose you would." He paused and studied the room. "Although if she were it'd be a real betrayal of Eddi."_

_Robert tightened his grip so hard she gave a small cry of pain. He loosened it again but she could feel the angry tension vibrating through him._

"_Eddi is dead thanks to you." Every word was an effort for him to say. _

_Maria was trembling violently. Robert had moved so he was between her and her mother's body but the image was engraved into her mind. The shock hadn't worn off enough yet to let her think about trying to cry._

_The next bit was a blur._

_Robert had grabbed her hand and was walking straight towards Ryan. The man flinched away._

"_Stop Robert," he ordered._

"_You have no way to stop me," was Robert's reply. "Your only leverage is the girl," he indicated Maria, " and I know you won't shoot her because I might never have another child. You need her."_

_Ryan gave a sharp intake of breath. "So she is your daughter." _

_Robert carried on walking but he smiled grimly._

"_Of course. I wouldn't take the trouble for something that wasn't mine."_

"_It's impossible," Ryan whispered._

"_I'm leaving and I'm taking her with me. Shoot me if you dare."_

_Every Suit had their guns trained on them…but they were waiting for Ryan's signal. It never came._

_They passed through the silent guards and reached the door. Robert twisted the handle and it swung open onto darkness. That was when the screech echoed out._

"_We need her! Stop them! Even if you have to kill him!" Ryan had made his choice. Maria was worth Robert's death._

_Robert moved with inhuman speed. He grabbed her around the waist and pushed her behind him, turning to face the gunmen as they let off the first bullets. She couldn't see what happened but she saw Robert recoil. She heard the thud as metal hit flesh…and an odd metallic ping. There was silence. Robert was bent double next to her, down on one knee with a hand pressed to his chest, breathing heavily. His shoulders started to shake and a laugh burst from his lips. He slowly lifted his head and stood with barely a stagger. Blood was soaking through his shirt and he seemed totally unfazed. The faces of the suits showed acute horror. Before they had time to recover Robert grabbed Maria and hoisted her onto his back then took off over the fields. _

_The rest of the night was a haze of leaves and darkness and Robert digging out the bullets from his chest._

"_It hurts," he'd told her, "but the pain is always far away. Its another part of me." She'd just stared. He'd told her not to look but she'd ignored him. "Look," he'd whispered. "I'll show you why I didn't die." Amongst the blood of strange colours and torn flesh she'd seen a metallic shimmer, a shield of some sort, like a plate inside of him._

"_It's hard." He'd told her. "It stopped the bullets reaching my heart and lungs." She hadn't understood then what he'd meant. _

_She did now. _

_------------- _

The memory retreated back inside its box. Maria came round to find herself kneeling on the cold stone floor in the dark warehouse. Her hands were clutched to her head…and Seth was standing over her, a gun clasped in one hand. His eyes were filled with bemusement.

"You're more human than your father then," he stated. He was obviously talking about her reaction to the gunshot. She knew why he'd say that. Nothing ever seemed to faze Robert. He took in everything with a cool, uncaring look. She, on the other hand, could be shaken.

"I don't know how it works." She pushed herself to her feet and faced him. "I've always thought I was more human than him. I seem to feel emotions more. People affect me more than they do him." She paused and dropped her eyes to the ground. "You know I don't even know if I am…whatever my father is."

Seth's gaze became intense. "What?"

"I don't know," she repeated. "My father found out after an endoscopy…but you already knew that. Maybe you don't know that he checked for himself afterwards. He sliced his stomach open." A look of revulsion passed over Seth's face but she continued regardless. "When he showed me he just sliced his arm, really deep. I could see silver filaments, wires, blood that wasn't blood coloured…and it healed up. Right in front of me it started to seal itself. He wouldn't do the same thing to me of course, just in case I was human – because then it would've killed me."

Seth had dropped the gun to his side.

"Then you never needed to run."

Maria gave him an incredulous look. "Machine or not I'm still my father's daughter. I would still have to be studied to see how it worked – how I existed - and I could still be used to blackmail him."

Seth locked eyes with her again and she suddenly found it hard to breath.

"Why are you telling me all this?" he whispered.

"I don't know. I guess so you could understand…"

Seth slipped the gun into his pocket and started to walk towards her.

"I don't know how it works…"she said quietly, watching him approach. "I don't know how human I am."

Seth stepped close to her and brushed the hair from her face carefully with one hand.

"This might help you," he breathed and bent his head to hers, but Maria turned away.

"I know machine's can feel love," she turned burning eyes onto Seth. "My father loved."

"Your mother," Seth answered.

"No," she contradicted him. "Not my mother. I was a one-night stand. An unexpected mistake. Robert loved a woman called Eddi and still loves her now. Ryan killed her, just like he killed my mother." She clenched her fists; waiting for the tears she knew would never come. Robert couldn't cry. She couldn't cry. She'd screamed until she was red and sick. She'd thrown tantrums with flailing fists and hands but never had one drop of fluid escaped her eye.

"You rob us of everyone we love," the accusation passed from her lips with a hiss.

"I'm sorry for what Ryan has done to you," Seth said in an appeasing tone. "But you can't lay the blame at my feet."

Maria twisted her head to look away but Seth grabbed her arm roughly and forced her chin up with his hand so she had to stare him in the eye.

"Look at me dammit," he growled then fell silent.

Maria felt herself start to tremble as his eyes bored into hers. She was desperate to break the stare but couldn't. Her insides were writhing; she couldn't bear it.

"Stop it," she gasped finally.

Seth smiled slowly. "So you do feel it then. You feel the attraction between us that draws us together. You can't deny it." Seth pulled her closer to him, wrapping an arm around her waist and softening his grasp of her chin.

"Please stop," the halfhearted plea broke from her lips but she made no attempt to escape as his lips came down on hers. The kiss was passionate, hard and hungry. She felt her head rush with desire and drew closer to him. It had all come down to this. She savoured the taste of him, the feelings he invoked.

It ended in an explosion.

Maria broke the kiss and gazed into his pain filled eyes.

"For you duty will always come before love," she whispered. "For me survival will always come before love."

She tossed the way the gun that she'd slipped from his pocket as Seth began to lean heavily on her, barely conscious, his muscles going lax. His hand was pressed over the bleeding bullet wound in his side as she eased him to the ground.

"I'm sorry," Maria told him and pressed her lips to his in a searing goodbye.

The sun had risen and she could hear the first sounds of the men starting their jobs. The door of the warehouse was pushed open with a clang. She knew the suits would be on her any minute. There was a rumble of voices. A whistling meandering tune.

"Help!" she screamed. "My boyfriend's been stabbed!"

Then there was a rush of help, a mumble of voices, the whine of an ambulance. People asking questions. The Suits hovering unseen beyond the spotlight. Why was she even in the Warehouse? A faint blush. Say no more. Loading Seth onto a stretcher…and then she was gone before the police arrived. Slipped away. By the time they realised that it wasn't a stab wound she was out of sight.

-----------

Maria strolled down the street, hands in her pockets, and smiled grimly to herself.

Maybe it was all just about survival.


End file.
